Volkswagen, Mercedes SUVs Earn Highest Top Safety Pick+ Awards

Volkswagen, Mercedes SUVs Earn Highest Top Safety Pick+ Awards

GLE-Class and the Tiguan took first place.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety continues to give top honors as the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan, 2020 Mercedes GLE–Class all receive Top Safety Pick+ awards. However, neither received top marks for their standard equipment. Both require adding options.

The latest Mercedes GLE-Class news:

TSP+ awards require winners to receive Good ratings in six crash test evaluations by the institutes. These include driver-side small-overlap front, passenger-side large overlap front and moderate overlap front. Head restraint tests are also required. The Advanced or Superior ratings for front crash prevention and Good headlight ratings can be earned. The VW as well as the Mercedes received Good ratings in all six crash testing.

Because of its optional curve-adaptive, LED-projected headlights with high beam assist, the GLE was awarded the TSP+ designation. This option is only available for vehicles manufactured after July 2019. The GLE’s static base LED headlights received an Acceptable rating which disqualifies it from the TSP+ designation. GLE offers its front crash prevention system standard equipment. This optional option is also available. According to the IIHS, both systems earned Superior ratings but neither performed flawlessly. Both systems met the forward collision warning requirements.
Volkswagen, Mercedes SUVs Earn Highest Top Safety Pick+ Awards

Only the VW Tiguan qualifies for TSP+ if it has the curve-adaptive LEDs headlights with high beam assist and the front crash prevent system. The new prevention system received a Superior rating, while the headlights (available on models manufactured after June 2019) earned a Good rating. According to IIHS, earlier models with the same headlights do not qualify for an award. They earn a Marginal rating. The base halogen headlights received a poor rating.

More Information about the VW Tiguan

This is the second VW that has won the award for 2019, with the GTI also receiving the title. TSP+ was also awarded to the previous GLE-Class in 2019, but it too required an optional front crash prevention system as well as specific headlights.